Photo courtesy of PANL C3-85

The men went to work in the spring of the year as soon as the weather was fit, usually around the first or second week of May. They'd get the schooner painted up and get everything ready for fishing on the Labrador. The cook always went to work at the skipper's home when the crew started, because that was where they had their meals when they were working. It was a help and experience to cook and clean for the men then - the skipper's wife was there to help and give advice. We worked together and it meant a lot for me when I left on the voyage.

There was always a trip to St. John's, Carbonear, or Port Union - wherever the merchant was that the skipper dealt with - to get supplies for the voyage. There was salt, food, and whatever provisions we needed for the voyage to be loaded. The girl usually went along on the trip to cook and get some experience for the summer. After returning home the crew would get the cod traps, ropes, and grapelins ready for fishing. They would bark the sails for the schooner, and cut firewood and dry it in the sun because that was the only source of heat we had for cooking and baking during the summer.

Most all the schooners left home June 24 or shortly after, unless ice was reported along the coast. Some

times you met the ice and couldn't get any further unti there was a change of wind. If there was no ice around and there was a favourable wind, the trip could be mat after a week or ten days leaving home. There weren't any engines in the fishing schooners then so you had t depend on sails and the wind.

The men were always up early and gone out fishing long before it was light. You had to be up as soon as they left to have breakfast ready when they got back. Then it was steady go all day. You always had something to do. There was bread to be made almost every morning, dishes to be washed, bunks to be made, lamp to be shined and filled with oil, firewood to be brought down and stored by the stove to keep the fire going, ant meals to cook. It was from one meal to the other all day long, because it took a lot to feed ten men and clear up after them.

The cabin had to be kept clean all the time because if any of the other skippers came aboard they were taken down there for a chat. The girl usually slept in the cabin. There was a small place with a door to it where you could dress and undress. I was quite contented there. I had my privacy and when I got in the bunk I usually slept well because I was tired enough after a long day. The skipper, mate, and one more of the crew had their berth in the cabin too, but I was usually turned in before any of them. If we were under sail, they'd just lay down for a while - it would be one up and one down, the captain and then the mate.